No UV Tanning Is Safe for Your Skin

March 10th, 2013

Working on your tan? Be careful. Any amount of ultraviolet (UV) tanning – indoors or outdoors – can cause cancer and other skin problems later in life.

“The first danger with tanning is increased risk of skin cancer, which can metastasize and be deadly,” says Charles M. Moon, MD, dermatologist at Saint Francis Medical Center. “The other risk is premature aging. It’s going to cause more wrinkling and discoloration of the skin at an earlier age. A lot of folks say, ‘I’m going to get my base tan before I go to Florida, in the hopes of having a “safe tan.”’ Unfortunately there’s probably no safe level of intentional sun exposure, artificial or natural.”

So, what can you do to keep your skin safe from the sun? Wear a hat, use sunblock with an SPF of 30 or higher, and try self-tanning lotions instead.

For more information, visit www.sfmc.net/dev-2015 or call 573-331-3996.